Thicker than Blood
by kimiko yuki
Summary: When marriage to Sasuke is opposite of what Sakura expects, Itachi happens to be in the right place at the right time. Brother, wife, husband...family. There are things in this world that are thicker than blood, but what it is depends on who you ask. D/C
1. Curse of a Damned Man

**Thicker than Blood**

Summary: People say that blood is thicker than water… but what is thicker than blood? Well… It depends on who you ask. Itasaku… Sasusaku… dark lemon

A/N: This was my first venture to other couples outside my Kakasaku sphere. Please be gentle.

**Warning: Dark Lemon … go back to bed little kiddies.**

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**Chapter 1: Curse of a Damned Man**

**_Itachi..._**

I saw her through the shadows surrounded by the bluish hue of moonlight. Even though her cherry hair looked purplish under the veil of darkness and crystal tears fell continuously from her emerald eyes, I knew instantly who she was.

She was Sakura Haruno…

Or rather…

Sakura Uchiha…

Sasuke's wife…

And my sister by law…

I stared at her from behind the shadows of the trees and wondered why she was here. It was dead in the middle of the night and this part of the forest was no place for a woman to wander, even if said woman was a gifted kunoichi.

Konoha had raised the alarm that the Akatuski was wandering the boarders earlier that day. I applauded her courage for leaving the city walls but mocked her foolishness for exactly the same reason.

She was staring at the peaceful serenity of the lake as golden fireflies danced around her. The full moon was reflected on the placid surface of the water, creating and ethereal beauty that I found comforting. The air was chilly and cold even against my full-length coat but I didn't mind. Being numb had its advantages.

This was my favorite place, back when I was a ninja of Konoha. I came to this place simply to think when I wanted to escape from my duties as an Uchiha. The darkness and bleak tranquility of the place, so much like myself, always gave me a sense of calmness against the cruel reality of life.

I thought perhaps, she came here for the same reasons as well.

Seeing the tears on her porcelain cheeks and hearing her gentle sob against the silence of the night, I could already guess her reason for being here.

_Sasuke…_

I figured she finally woke up from the dream she cast upon herself.

I knew my brother well, even better than he does himself. He did not marry her because he loved her. His purpose in life was to kill me and to revive our so-called clan. Sasuke needed an heir. He married her because she was willing.

He detests me so much for what I did to our clan and to our family… and I urge him to do so. I want him to loathe my existence and search for power, grasping at it with both hands. I want him to become my worthy rival so I could finally measure myself against the last of the infamous Uchiha clan and bring an end to the question that has been plaguing us both.

_Who is stronger?_

But it seemed that he had not achieved that power yet. He was still the same foolish little brother as before, an ordinary ninja with average jutsu. Not even worthy of my time. Not even worth killing.

_Or maybe…_

A wicked thought crept up my twisted mind which made me smile. I turned my attention back on the woman who was silently staring at the placid lake. She hugged herself to keep from shivering but her thin clothing did little good. She was my brother's wife… my sister in law… and a member of my damned family.

I remembered exactly what I did like it was yesterday. It was forever embedded inside my black heart and I feel neither remorse nor guilt for it.

_Maybe… all he needs is a slight push, make him suffer a little more. Perhaps he needs to feel just a bit more pain to make him hate me even more._

I looked at slender figure near the lake with death in my eyes.

_My family…I killed my own family before… I could always do it again. _

I made my way to her, as silently as I could. She seemed lost in her own thoughts that she did not recognize my presence until I stood directly behind her, my dark coat flapping against the cool breeze. I saw her lithe form tremble when she finally realized that someone was behind her. I resisted the urge to smile as she slowly turned around and found herself staring into the eyes of a murderer.

I love that reaction on a person's face when they realize they were about to die. Eyes misted with tears and the pupils narrow into a pinpoint circle as the truth finally sinks into their brain. All the color seems to drain out of their face leaving them deathly pale. Thick lashes flutter against ashen cheeks, still refusing to believe what is right in front of them. Their heart beats so loud and so fast that you could almost hear it though the tense moment. They hold onto their breath, finally realizing that it would probably be their last. Time moved so slow… too slow for the brain to comprehend what is really happening.

But I saw none of those in her emerald eyes… and I was stunned.

"Itachi" she whispered softly. She knew she was going to die yet there was no hint of fear on her voice, only a quiet acceptance of her fate. She lowered her head in defeat, without even trying to fight.

_Has my foolish brother hurt her so terribly that she would rather accept death?_

"Please do it quickly." she closed her eyes and waited patiently for the numb feeling of demise.

I looked at her, trying to comprehend what was presented in front of me. She was vulnerable and weak. I could kill her so easily… but…

"Your death would do little good for both of us." I said in a stern voice. "My brother cares too little for you to be concerned."

She flinched at the sound of my voice telling her what was obvious. She turned her head to the side still refusing to believe the truth.

I moved closer to her with a new plan in mind.

I stood so close to her that I could almost feel the warmth of her body, just as she could with mine. She looked at me with a questioning look that I found striking.

"But we can make him regret."

I wrapped my arms around her and brought her lithe form closer to mine in one swift motion, too fast for her to react. I felt her tremble against me and she suddenly felt stiff and cold. As I forced her eyes too look into mine, I finally found what I was looking for…

Fear…

"Itachi! What were you doing! Let me go!" she struggled against me uselessly.

"You know it is pointless to resist, Sakura. So stop fighting." I tightened my arms a little more, making her aware of the position she was in. This seemed to bring her senses back and she relaxed a little bit.

I waited for her breathing and heart beat to calm down. She lowered her head, refusing to look into my eyes.

"Itachi-sama, please don't do this… " she pleaded in small voice, already guessing what I had in mind.

"Why not? You know perfectly well he does not love you. This will teach him a lesson."

"But that does not give you the right to do this too me." she snapped back.

"It does not? Who will stop me?" I told her mockingly.

"I will"

Her voice held little courage in it. She was no match for me and she knew it.

I always get what I want.

I brought my face closer to her, so close that our breath mingled together. One hand snaked up her spine, making her tremble. I looked into her emerald eyes and saw confusion and distress in it, and maybe a small hint of curiosity.

I slowly brought my head to the side of hers and whispered huskily to her ear, letting my lips touch her skin lightly. "I am a man, Sakura. I can give you everything he can't."

She released the breath that she held with a soft sigh and I knew I was inching closer to my victory. I pulled her closer and this time she did not resist.

"Close your eyes."

She did as she was told, probably too exhausted to do anything else. I savored the moment as I stared at her beauty. She was a pale goddess under the light of the moon. Her cherry hair fluttered against the cold breeze with the scent of sweet strawberries. I traced a finger lightly across the edge of her face down to her chin. She felt like porcelain under my touch, smooth and delicate. Her cheeks were flushed and her soft pink lips were parted, begging to be caressed.

I smiled.

_Sasuke is foolish indeed for letting such an exotic beauty out of his sight._

I lowered my lips on hers and felt it tremble just a little before finally kissing her full. She did not reciprocate… but she did not pull back either… and that was good enough for me. I sucked at her lower lip as I cupped her nape with one hand, tilting it to an angle. I forced my tongue past her lips but she resisted a little. I continued on caressing her lips while my hand massaged her nape until she finally relaxed and allowed me entrance. I tasted the honeyed interior of her mouth as I caressed every inch of it. It was sweet, addictively satisfying. I wanted more. I pulled her closer, deepening the kiss with an urgency I never felt before. She moaned against me as her own tongue shyly responded against mine. I felt her arms wrap around my neck, pulling me closer and engulfing me in her warmth, asking for more. My own body responded, more than delighted to fulfill her request.

I left her mouth and trailed kisses down her jaw line. I stole a glance at her dreamy face and suppressed the urge to smile triumphantly. She still had her eyes closed tight.

"Let's pretend, Sakura." I whispered in a low husky voice. "Pretend I am Sasuke."

She did not reply, too lost in the sensations she was feeling. I kissed the sensitive junction between her neck and her shoulder and bit on it softly, eliciting a sharp sigh from her. She tilted her head to allow me more access to her flushed skin.

My other hand found its way to the zipper of her dress and tugged it down in a tantalizingly slow way. She trembled as she pressed her breasts against my chest.

I stopped my movements as I unzipped her dress halfway. "If you want to stop me then you better do so. It is now or never."

She did not.

I pulled the zipped all the way down and slipped the clothing past her shoulders. It dropped down to a messy bundle of cloth on her feet, exposing the rest of her slender body to my lascivious eyes and wandering hands. I felt her shiver against the freezing breeze and she pulled closer, searching for the warmth of my body. I shrugged my heavy coat off and threw it on the ground behind her. I kissed her again, more urgent and more determined than before. My hand moved up and down her rib cage, trailing goosebumps on her naked flesh. She grasped at my shoulder as I lowered my eyes on the swell of her breasts. A hand cupped one of her swollen flesh as my thumb brushed the soft edge of her brassiere.

"Do you want me to take it off?" I asked even though I knew the answer.

"Yes!" she gave a throaty reply.

I unfastened the clasp with one hand and peeled the dainty clothing off her heated body. I lowered my head and kissed the top of her breast, not quite touching the rosy peak. Her hand found its way to my head and she ran her fingers through my raven hair. She tugged at it gently, begging me to take her into my mouth.

"Not yet, my little cat." I said teasingly. Her dazed eyes were still closed.

I lowered her flushed body gently on the ground on top of my discarded coat, cushioned only by dry leaves and twigs. The trees rustled as a cool breeze passed through the branches. I parted her knees with both hands and laid my torso between her legs, bringing my weight down on her. I had almost forgotten how good it felt to have a woman beneath me and the fact that this was no ordinary woman was more than enough to drive me wild. I gave her a moment to make herself comfortable in our position before finally resuming our… _interaction. _

I kissed her again and she moaned in delight. Her hands found its was under my shirt and made me gasp as she rolled her fingers expertly on my skin. I could feel my muscles tense under her touch as she tugged the clothing up over my head and threw it somewhere on the floor.

I kissed my way from her lips to her ear, down to her subtle neck, past her pronounced collarbones and finally to her breasts. One hand massaged the feminine curves as my mouth trailed kisses over the other. Her moans got louder and louder against the silence of the forest. Then I did it all over again.

"Please" she begged.

I kissed and sucked and caressed. I traced my tongue lightly, refusing to touch the most sensitive part as my other hand stroked her body and slowly made its way down to her thighs. The hand on my head tugged and begged me to pay attention to her hardened nubs. When I finally took her rosy peaks in my mouth and she arched her body with a loud cry. I sucked on it briskly while rolling my tongue over it, feeling her trashing under me, trembling with all the sensations she was holding inside. My hand scratched at her inner thigh and she instinctively parted them wider.

"Does he touch you like this?" I slipped a hand past her underwear and touched her bundle of nerves. She buckled under me as I caressed her core with my fingers.

"N…no…" she was panting for breath… and we've only just begun.

"Like this, perhaps?" Her fingers dug painfully on my back with unreleased tension as I slipped a finger inside her. She was wet and slick with her own moisture and it took all the discipline I had to prevent myself from pummeling her with my need.

"No…." was her throaty reply. She lifted her hips and started to grind herself against my hand.

"I thought so." I said victoriously. I slipped another finger inside her while my thumb caressed and drew circles on her sensitive swell. I thrust my fingers inside her, again and again as I drank in the sensual picture presented before me. Her eyes were closed tight and a tear dropped from her eye. She was flushed red with heat as she moved her body in rhythm with my hand. Her breath came in quick pants as she struggled to stay sane. I drive my fingers faster for her, my own need increasing with every second.

"Oh no! Oh god!" a loud moan escaped her lips as she trashed her hips against my hand in search for more contact. I could feel her increasing contractions around my fingers, sucking them deeper inside her but still she held back her climax.

"Let go, Sakura." I whispered to her.

And she did.

It seemed like a dam burst inside her as threw all caution into the air and moaned loudly with her climax. She threw her head back and arched her spine as her nails scratched at my back and pulled me close in a deathly grip. When her pleasure finally subsided, she slumped back on the floor, panting for breath and covered with a fine sheet of sweat. I pulled my fingers out of her and brought it up to my lips.

"Sweet… just as I thought."

I slipped past the rest of my clothing and threw it somewhere along with her panties. My own need was hardened and erect, ready for contact. I lifted her hips and positioned myself on her entrance. I kissed her lips again but she felt too drained from her climax to respond.

I bit on her earlobe as I whispered, "Let's keep pretending, shall we?"

She pushed her hips against mine, bringing the tip of my member to her cave.

"Yes…" she pleaded.

It was all I needed to hear as I pushed inside her and sheathed my manhood in her warmth. She moaned against my shoulder in response. With her eyes still closed, I knew she was imagining that it was Sasuke who was doing these passionate things to her and I let her imagine as she will.

She will… but not for long…

I moved inside her in a slow… sensuous way, gearing up her body for another mind shattering climax even as I struggled against my own desires to drive into her forcefully. She moaned and nibbled at my shoulder as her hand trailed up and down my spine making me gasp in return. Her reactions and her tightness were enough to drive me insane with need but I held back the feeling. I needed her to feel the utmost pleasure she could attain and if it meant holding back on my own, then I will.

I increased my rhythm a bit and I was rewarded by a sharp sigh from her lips. I could sense her fire once again, burning and building up the height of pleasure. She tightened her legs on my hips urging me into a faster, deeper pace as she moved her own body against mine. An arm circled her tiny waist as I drive my shaft into her again and again, faster and harder, each thrust bringing both of us closer to the edge.

I lost all sense of control when she lifted her hips for a better angle driving me deeper, all that was left in me was the primitive need for pleasure. Her walls were warm and tight against my manhood as I thrust in her again and again as her body convulsed with unreleased pressure. Her moans got louder as her body trashed under me. I gripped her hips holding her in place for my own pleasure as she buckled beneath me, the sensations too intense to bear anymore. She grasped at my shoulder painfully, searching for the feeling of elation once again.

She opened her eyes and made eye contact with me. I could not stop myself as I drew her into my world of blood red clouds and dark skies. The sky was spinning around us, a visual image of what we were feeling inside. Wisps of red smoke drifted in between our sweaty bodies as we moved in unison. I could feel her body gearing up for a second climax as she contracted against me. I finally give in to what she truly wants.

In an instant, the man on top of her was no longer me, but an image of my brother, the person she truly desires.

"Sa…sas… sasuke!!" she screamed her pleasure out as the wave of her climax finally hit her like a thundering flood.

She screamed and cried, both in pain and pleasure. She tightened her arms around me as I drew the intense pleasure out of her over and over again with my tsukiyomi and multiplied it ten fold.

I struggled not to break her as I searched for my own fulfillment. All thoughts of caution thrown against the wind as I bucked on top of her, driving inside like a madman in search of something out of reach. I sought it out, climbing higher and higher, faster and faster. And then, it hit me like a lightning bolt and I buckled under the pressure. I groaned loudly and thrust with all I had to give one last time before I finally exploded inside her warmth, holding onto the feeling of reaching the pinnacle of pleasure known to man.

Exhausted beyond belief, I lowered myself on top of her and the world returned to normal around us. We were back on the forest floor, with the only trees and darkness bearing witness to the sin we had committed.

We lay there for what seemed like hours, trying to gather up our scattered senses. When we could both breathe again, I lifted my body from hers and helped her on her feet. Neither one spoke as we gathered our clothing and tried to dress up as efficiently as we could. The silence was tense and opaque between us, it was almost tangible.

When I finally put on my cloak, I turned around and found her with her back towards me. It seemed like she was crying.

"It is too late for regrets now." I told her softly.

"It's not that, Itachi." A small sob escaping her lips.

"Then what is it." I asked

She did not reply.

I moved closer to her and pressed her back against me though my hands stayed on my side.

"Will I see you again, Sakura?"

"I…I… don't know…" she stuttered anxiously.

It was all I needed to hear as I jumped back to the trees and disappeared from view, my cloak fluttered against the breeze as I left the woman alone with her thoughts.

I knew the meaning behind her answer. Yes, she would see me again… and again after that. I won… I had my way… If this does not drive Sasuke insane then I don't know what else will.

I smiled triumphantly as I made my way back to the headquarters, all the while thinking about the moment we shared together.

I lived my life without regrets and I have none even then. I have committed far more drastic crimes than what I did with her. But what really confused me was the thought that although I did it to hurt Sasuke… I could not deny that I did it just as much… for myself… and for her.

An unfamiliar feeling crept up inside me but I pushed it back.

Later I would think about it, before then I needed sleep.

My thoughts drifted over to Sakura, her cherry hair and pale skin. I remembered the way she screamed Sasuke's name in her climax. His name was on her lips as she rode her waves of pleasure… but not for long.

An evil grin tugged at my lips. She was my sister in law…my family… but that meant nothing to me… I will see her again… and give her the intense pleasure Sasuke could not.

I guess it just goes to show…

_Lust is definitely thicker than blood…_

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Part 2: Tears of a Lonely Woman.

_A/N: how was that, this was my first ItaSaku fic and I hope it meets up to your standards. Also, would anyone be kind enough to be my beta. English is not my native language and I'd greatly appreciate any help I could get. It's mostly incorrect tenses with some minor incoherent thoughts. Please email me or leave a note in the reviews if you want to. Thanks a lot and don't forget to review! _


	2. Tears of a Lonely Woman

**Thicker than Blood**

Disclaimer: Still don't own any of them. Life's not fair

**Chapter Warning:** pretty **graphic lemon …**you have been warned…(oh come on!!… we both know you can't get enough )

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**Chapter 2: Tears of a Lonely Woman**

_**Sakura…**_

I turned my head to the side, refusing to look at the man grunting on top of me. His sweat dripped down to my body making me feel sticky and his movements made me feel noxious. It was like this every single time and I disciplined myself not to feel pain or disgust as _we_ did the act. I know his mind was nowhere near the room so I cast mine out the door too, to help ease the pain a little bit. I had grown accustomed to this state of mind as he made his way with me. I stopped complaining a long time ago and let him do his thing. It was easier than pretending.

The man drove his member inside of me, faster and harder. His desperate movements told me that his climax was very near but I did not feel excited or eager… only relieved… I knew it was unusual to feel this way in the throes of passion, but I seriously doubt if we even had that to begin with. We were joined together, body with body, but we might as well be on the opposite sides of the earth and not even notice.

The man thrust inside me one last time and he groaned aloud, reaching his peak. I could feel the warmth of his fluids as he released it deep inside me. It dripped down my thigh and I fought the urge to wipe myself clean of him. He steadied himself on top of me as he gasped for breath. I kneaded the muscles on his back and ran my fingers through his raven hair, more out of instinct than anything else.

He pulled out of me the as soon as he had strength to do so and slumped to his side of the bed with his back towards me. No other actions done, no words spoken. We didn't have anything to do or say to each other anyway. It was better this way.

I turned my head as I lay on our bed and stared at Sasuke's back. Lately, I had been seeing much of his back that I became familiar with it. I knew the number of moles he has. I memorized the places where his battle scars were and I recognized the planes and the ridges of his muscles like the back of my hand. I was acquainted with his back so well that I almost forgot how he looked like from the front.

I held back a tear that threatened to escape my eyes…

This was not how it used to be.

I used to know everything about him. His face was etched inside my heart, dark piercing eyes and soft lips that often tugs up into a smirk. I know his likes and dislikes, his hopes and dreams, his secrets and his fears. I used to know him better than he does himself.

But lately, it was as if I see him for the first time in my life, a stranger on my bed… and it frightened the hell out of me.

_Who is he… this man I married?_

He was the man I dreamed of, ever since I laid eyes on him during our genin days. I knew then that somehow, someway I had to be his wife. I loved him since then, loved him with all the sincerity I could possibly give. He was the first guy, the only guy that I ever truly wanted to share myself with.

He broke my heart… countless times. Ruined it, really… but I was blinded by my feelings for him to care otherwise. I nursed my shattered heart and offered it back to him with both hands and a smile. He took it…played with it awhile, before throwing it away when he got bored.

Then I'd go and do it all over again.

I cried, I laughed, I wept, I smiled… for him. But everything that I am, everything that I own and everything that I have to give… it was never enough. I was always lacking… of what, I never quite knew.

When he asked me to marry him, I said yes in a heartbeat without even considering the consequences. This was my dream and I was not about to let it slip past my fingers. I knew he does not love me. I knew the terms of our marriage even if we do not speak of it. Like an unspoken agreement between two people, it does not require any explanations what so ever… it was just _it. _Love was never a requisite.

He does not love me and he made it clear, clear as glass. But I was too overwhelmed by my emotions to think clearly. My love for him made the clear glass seem hazy and cloudy… and I refused to fan out the smoke in fear of what I would find behind it.

I thought, maybe… just maybe… I have love enough for both of us.

After we got married, I thought I could change him and he'll learn to love me just as well.

Silly, really, how women are attracted to emotionally unstable men thinking that they are the only girl that can save him from darkness… only to find out that they are the ones that need saving in the end.

I held onto him and felt glorified under any minute affection he bestowed on me, however vague it may be. A touch on the hand… a smile on his face… a glint in his eyes, I fooled myself into thinking that those were the signs of a change in the wind. Everyday I devoted myself to the task of showing just how much I feel for him, in hopes that he would return the affection. That somehow, he would lower his wall just a little bit… enough for me to climb through, or at the very least, reach out over to him.

He never did. And to make matters worse, he added up to the wall… brick by brick… stone by heavy stone… until it stood high… too high for me to even see where it ended. It stretched out and loomed over me, intimidating me with its power and height, casting a dark shadow over me. The wind of change knocked me over to my knees and I hit my head on the wall… waking me up from the fantasy I made for myself. I finally realized my own foolishness… but not until it was too late.

I knew that I was doomed.

Somebody should have told me that dreams ought to stay just like that, a dream… a fiction of imagination… far from reality. But I guess I was too stubborn to listen anyway even if somebody did. Dreams should stay dreams. I learned that the hard way. Because when I woke up from mine… all I found was a nightmare.

I am a hopeless romantic at heart. I yearn for passion and trust, devotion and affection. I look forward to warm kisses and tight embraces. I long for soft touches and intimate caresses. I need sweet words telling me how beautiful I am, that I am the only woman in his life. I want to be appreciated and treated like a woman that I am.

But I never got any of those from him…

and it…

hurts…

like…

hell...

…

His deep, regular breathing and steady pulse told me he was finally asleep. I slipped out the bed with nothing on, not even my pride or dignity. I tried my hardest not to make any sound and wake him up as my feet touched the cold, hard floor. I felt weak and frail… emotionally more than physically. I held onto the walls for support as I made my way towards the bathroom, the one place in our dark apartment where I could go to for sanctuary.

I looked at the mirror but I barely recognized the woman who stared back at me.

Who is she… this woman with dark, sunken eyes lined with worry and despair? Her cherry hair is a complete and utter chaos, so much like her marriage. She is pale and lifeless, a ghost drifting though life without a purpose… merely existing for a reason she does not even understand. Her lips are swollen and red from biting back the words of anger that she wants to shout out to the world, holding it deep inside herself until it pooled into a dark puddle of gloom and mended with her soul. Her eyes could shed no more tears. The once vibrant emerald tone is overshadowed by sadness and misery, making it as bleak and as grey as she is inside.

I touched the mirror and she touched it too.

I touched my face and she touched it too.

I could no longer deny…

That woman was me…

Sakura Uchiha…

….

For being the smartest, most clever girl in class…

How can _she_ be so _stupid_?!

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I put on a plain simple dress and quietly went out the bathroom. Stealing a glance at him, I saw that he was still fast asleep.

The darkness of our room embraces him as one of their own, almost like he belonged with the shadows. He looks like a fallen angel in his stillness, a dark avenger in his short moment of serenity, mystically handsome and gleaming with reserved strength. The calmness in his face when he is asleep manages to steal my breath away every single time and if I look close enough… if I squint my eyes just a little…I could see, in the farthest corner of his soul… the man I married.

But that was just about it.

I looked away.

I got tired of seeking that small part of him and my eyes hurt from all that squinting.

It is too exhausting to search for something that is barely there.

The bedroom door creaked as I opened it and slipped through its narrow passageway. I hoped I did not make too much noise to awaken him as I stole a last glance at my sleeping husband before closing it. I tiptoed my way though the living room, careful not to bump into anything as I made my way towards the door.

I closed the door behind me… and it felt like freedom. All the shackles that leaden my body and my heart seemed to drop down to the floor and I felt light and weightless. I breathed in deeply, enjoying the freshness of air in my lungs. The moon shinned brilliant against the black drape of the sky with only the glittering stars for company. The dim light cast an eerie shadow over everything and I relished the vision presented before me.

In the stillness of the night, Konoha looked different, an eternal place of beauty, tranquility and calmness mixed into one. No people shouting at each other, no kids running around the road. No noise and no distractions. Nothing. It was simply peaceful and I liked it that way.

I made my way to the lake near the village. It was my favorite place and I always go there to think, when I want to escape the sadness seeping out of my home.

But my reason for going there had changed.

I go there because _he_ is there.

Itachi Uchiha

And I _need_ him tonight… more than any other night.

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The hands on my hips and the flapping of his coat told me that he was here, directly behind me.

I never could sense his presence until he touches me, which just goes to show how great he is as a ninja. If he wants to kill me, he could do so in a heartbeat and I wouldn't know the difference between life and death.

But I don't think he wants me dead… at least, not tonight.

This…affair… has been going on for days… weeks…even months now. Each night, I promise myself, would be the last night I see him… yet I find myself standing exactly in the same place, looking over at the same peaceful lake, feeling the same cold breeze…again… and again.

And he comes, every single night, confident that I'll be there waiting patiently for him.

"Let's pretend." He whispered through my hair, sending shivers down my spine.

It is always the same greeting he gives me every time we meet.

They have the same dark, piercing eyes and the same raven hair. They possess the same arrogant nose and the same luscious lips. They hold the same angular face and even the same conceited smirk.

It would be easy for me to pretend that I am with Sasuke instead.

But Itachi will never _be_ Sasuke.

Not because he can't… but because I don't want him to be.

I stopped pretending long ago…

…

I wondered if he knew.

…

I turned around with a kiss for an answer.

This time, I was the one in need. I grabbed his head down for the kiss and attacked his lips. I clutched at his shoulders and stood on tiptoes to reach his height so I could kiss him deeper. This seemed to please him and he returned with equal fervor. Tongues met and collided with equal passion. I ventured my tongue into his mouth but he pushed back and assailed mine. Even in kisses, I was never a match for him. A steel arm encircled my waist and pulled me closer to him while the other hand went and caressed my hair. My own hand carelessly unbuttoned his coat and threw it somewhere on the ground. I slipped my hand inside his shirt and ran it through his bare skin, scratching him lightly with my nails. He felt warm and tense under my touch as he gave a growl of satisfaction against my mouth.

I wanted him so bad... with an urgency that needs satisfaction… as soon as possible.

He seemed to think so too as he pushed me against the trunk of a tree and brought his weight down on me. I could feel the tension in his muscles as he struggled to take control of the situation… but that was exactly what I _don't_ want…

Control...

I told him so by tugging at his shirt restlessly until it went over his head. I roamed my hands all over him, his head, his neck, his back…his broad shoulders… his defined arms… his muscular torso… his masculine hips… all over his body… until it rested at the hem of his pants.

"Seems like you have no trouble pretending at all?" He whispered though our heated exchange.

I opted to ignore the arrogance in his voice and kissed him passionately, silencing any questions he might have since I don't have a clear answer to give.

It seemed to work as he fumbled with the zipper of my dress and pulled it down. His eyes widened when he saw that I had not bothered to put anything on besides the dress. I conveniently forgot to put my undergarments, knowing they'd only be hindrance anyway.

If Itachi _wants_ me… he will have me… no matter how hard I protect myself and flimsy clothing provides little to no security from him.

I felt his lips in my neck, sucking and caressing my bare skin. The hands on my hips brought me closer to him even as he pushed me against the hard wood. Pinned between the tree and his warm body, I could feel his pressure, his need, starting to build up. And it only fueled mine even more.

When his lips touched my breasts, I cried aloud and arched my back, offering myself to him. He rubbed my curves with his hand while he sucked on the other. He kissed me, rubbed me, caressed me… like there's no tomorrow and I honestly felt like I was going to die. Oh sweet torture! My pulse was racing… to fast for me to keep up… my breath came in quick pants and I struggled with the yeaning of my body. I ran my fingers though his hair and cradled his head, holding him in place to the gratifying task he was doing.

Fire was running though my veins, the intense need for contact almost unbearable. I ran my hand all over his body again, pleading for the deep sensation only he could give. The tingling sensation low in my abdomen told me that I was ready. I grasped at the hem of his pants and fumbled with the buttons. I want him to take me to that place of pure bliss… I want to feel him deep inside me… I want him…

Now…

I reach out for his pleasure…

But a hand stopped me and pinned my arms against the wood behind me and I felt pain. Startled and confused by what happened I opened my eyes and found myself staring at his calm, collected face… like nothing happened at all.

"Wh..what? Itachi…why?" I struggled with words to say, emotions and sensations all messed up inside me.

He smirked at me.

"Relax, my little cat. We have all night." he said teasingly. "No need to rush."

I closed my eyes, took a long, deep breath and nodded in agreement.

Then we did it all over again…

Lips with lips… touch with touch… skin with skin… It was too overwhelming to comprehend it all and I was lost in the sensation that was him as he kissed me. His hand stroked my fire, from breast to hips as he pulled me closer. I felt the long hard pressure of his need against my thigh and I trembled at the thought of it deep inside me. I fought for restraint, his pace was slow… too slow for my desire… and …

Oh god!

It was driving me insane!

He lowered his lips down my neck and to my breasts and I leaned at his shoulders for support. My body and soul molded with his so perfectly, soft against hard, delicate against firm, pale against dark.

His hand went down to my thigh and lifted it up against his hips and held it there in sweet agonizing torture. I could almost feel him against the pants he wore… but not quite enough to satisfy my needs. I could feel the moisture running down my legs, begging for his attention.

I felt his hand caress my core at last and I moaned at his shoulder. He stroked my sensitive flesh, slow but hard… gentle but strong and all I could do was grab at his shoulders and beg for more.

"Please… I…I _need_…this" I begged, not caring how I sounded anymore. I was beyond caring.

He groaned in response and I was rewarded when a finger parted my folds and slipped inside me. I pushed my hips forward and tried to bury his finger deeper. He must have anticipated my reaction as he slipped another finger inside. I buckled my hips against his probing fingers and he drove them in me again and again… but still… too slow for my yearning.

"You're wet…" he said.

I did not reply. I bit him on his shoulder instead.

He thrust his fingers faster and allowed my body to grind against his hand. Finally, I could feel it, the intense pressure… pure bliss. Moans echoed against the trees as I moved my body against him, the friction too intense to bear. I could feel it… I was near my peak… I could almost reach it… almost there… I… I…

NO!!!

I almost reached my climax… almost… before he pulled out his hand from me and took one step back leaving me stressed and shaking from head to toes.

Mixed emotions poured out of me as I tried to comprehend exactly what happened. He had never done this to me before. He always gave me what I wanted…what I needed… He was never this… this…

Cruel…

"Itachi?" I stepped forward and reached out for him, wanting to start all over again… but he slapped my hand away and took another step back.

I couldn't begin to understand why he was acting that way, a moment ago he was kissing me passionately but now… now he was _rejecting_ me. I can't comprehend why…

And it was making me angry.

"What the _hell_ is wrong with you!?" I shouted at him, my voice trembling with fury.

He did not answer…

He just _smirked_… so much like Sasuke.

My hands trembled and itched with aggression, wanting to slap that conceited smirk off his face and show him exactly what he was dealing with but I held back my hand. I learned from experience that it does little good to anger an Uchiha.

But that did not stop me from voicing out my frustration.

"How… how dare you… _smirk_ at me like that… you… you arrogant, egotistical bastard! Don't you dare play games with me else I make you regret it!"

He chuckled at my reaction. "I have reason to believe that this _is_ a game we play. Am I wrong in my assumption?"

His answer hit a nerve.

All my emotions suddenly poured out of me, anger, resentment, hate. Everything that I was holding back for so long… all the feelings… all the suffering… all the unshed tears I've been trying to hide, it all burst out of me like thundering flood.

And I cannot stop it.

"So this… all this is just a _game_ to you! You walk around and play with people's hearts then throw it away like a piece of garbage!"

I was crying and shaking uncontrollably. Years worth of tears poured out of me and I felt like I was breaking apart.

"I am nothing right?! I am just a woman! A toy to play around with! Is that what you think I am!? Well screw you! You don't even know what I've been through! You have no idea how it hurts, dammit! It hurts so badly and _you_ caused it! You are so much like… like _him_! And I hate you both… I hate you... and I don't ever want to see you again!"

He reached out a hand but I slapped it back.

"Don't touch me! I don't want you to ever touch me again, you bastard! You've toyed with my heart long enough! I'm done playing and I'm done pretending so stay away from me!"

The pain I was feeling was unbearable. I felt rejected, a piece of trash thrown in the muddy river… floating to god knows where. I had no direction and no purpose, merely drifting along with the currents hoping that somebody would pick me up… only to be thrown away again.

_He_ made me feel like I was nothing.

I turned around to leave before I loose all my dignity but his hand grabbed at my wrist and forced me to face him. I was confused, shaken and trembling beyond belief. My own body moved in its own accord and before I knew it…

The stinging sound of hand against cheek was heard though the forest… I slapped him on the face…

And time stood still.

My eyes widened and my mouth fell open after realizing what I had just done. He let go of my hand and nursed his slightly pink cheek with the other. I saw the angry glint in his eyes and I cowered under the shadow of the tree behind me. I knew I was going to pay dearly for what I had done.

I wanted to disappear and be part of the tree behind me as he stepped closer. I could almost see the fury in his eyes, promising a terrible payback and I trembled with fear. I couldn't think…I couldn't move… I couldn't even breathe.

Oh god!

I am going to die.

He leaned his head close to mine and I shut my eyes tight and waited for the inevitable. I could feel his icy breath on my cheek, freezing me on the spot. I sank farther back into the tree and I waited for the welcoming embrace of death.

"Do you feel better now?"

My eyes widened as I looked into his, black onyx met with emerald green.

"Wh…what do you mean." I stuttered anxiously.

"I generally don't like repeating myself, Sakura." he said warningly. "Do you feel better now?"

Suddenly it dawned on me… what he was trying to do.

He was trying to release me… from the frustrations in my life… from the pain of my regrets… from the unshed tears and unvoiced anger.

I realized that he was trying to free me…

From Sasuke.

My feeble knees gave way and I sank to the ground. I was exhausted, physically and emotionally. He caught me and cradled me against his chest, his strong arms being my only support. I cried against his chest letting it all come out, all my uncertainties and fears, my regrets and my disappointments… it all flowed out of me… an unrelenting stream of mixed emotions.

His arms were warm and tight, holding me in place as I weep against him. For the first time in a long while, I was thankful for something. I was grateful that he was here holding me in my moment of weakness. I was grateful that he released me from my concealed pain. I was grateful that he came into my life.

I thought to myself…

He should have come sooner…

…

But at least he came nonetheless.

--------------------------

edited: nov 5 (nothing too drastic, just minor tenses and plot flaws)

A/N: this was a hard chapter to write, I had to divide Sakura's part into two coz it seemed like she has a lot of "anger" to vent out and I wanted to divide the 'emotions'.

mojine: feels like you read've enough of my fics to know that I am not a 'happy ending, bunnies and rainbows' kind of person. I have a sadictic, twisted imagination so you can probably expect a little of that 


	3. To Go Back or to Move Forward

**Thicker than Blood**

**Disclaimer:** as Sakura says it in this chapter "Life is cruel and you don't always get what you want."

**Chapter Warning: angst** and **lemon** ahead… you have been warned for a reason. (Cha! Who reads chapter warnings anyway?!)

--------------

**Chapter 3: To Go Back or to Move Forward**

**_Sakura… (part 2)_**

It took me a few minutes to gather my senses and calm myself down. I wiped my tears away with a shaking hand and my cries turned to momentary whimpers. He was patient, something I never thought of him to be. It surprised me and I wondered what else goes behind that solemn mask of his. I snuggled closer to him and wondered why… for such a cold blooded killer… did he felt so god damn warm. He was said to be heartless yet he showed me more sympathy than anyone I knew. He was a killer but he brought me back to life.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my cheek to his chest. I could not help but think that this was exactly where I was meant to be, in his arms. He lived with no regrets while mine tortured me. He was isolated while I yearned for closeness. The world hated him and I hated the world.

His hand stroked the length of my spine sending shivers all the way down to my toes. I instantly remembered I was naked. A blush suddenly tainted my cheeks and I tried to cover my nude condition as best as I could without knowing why. Certainly, he had seen me naked before and I asked myself why I was acting like a silly virgin.

The blush did not go unnoticed.

His hand cupped my cheek and tilted my head towards him, the thumb caressing the corner of my lips. I could feel the heat of his touch when it outlined the edges in feather light caresses before lowering his lips unto mine. He was gentle as he sucked and bit on my lower lip and I literally felt my heart melt. His tongue swept through my lips before slightly parting through them, asking for entrance when he needn't ask at all. His probing tongue stroked mine and I responded shyly to his experience. I moaned against his mouth when his hand pressed my body and molded it to his, my breasts rubbing against his naked chest. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he filled me with sensations that made me weak and lightheaded. I tilted my head and he kissed me deeper, the hand on my nape holding me in place as he filled me with sensual delight. He kissed me with painful gentleness that I never knew he was capable of. The world was spinning around, caught in a whirlwind of emotions with us in the middle of it all.

It truly felt like being kissed for the first time.

He left my lips and I whimpered at the lost of contact.

"I am not Sasuke." He said as he kissed my forehead. "Do you still want me?"

I looked at him adoringly. No, he was not Sasuke… and it was perfectly fine with me.

"Yes, Itachi." his name rolled from my lips with such familiarity. "More than ever."

He picked me up and carried me to the spot where his coat was and laid me on it gently.

His masculine scent filled my nostrils and I savored it as best as I could. He quickly covered my bare body with his own, pressing closer than ever before that not even shadows could pass between our heated bodies. He parted my thighs with his knees and settled himself between them and I welcomed him amorously. I felt his hard erection rub against my thigh, evidence of the passion he kept under restraint and I marveled at how much discipline he had over his desire whereas I was nowhere near the word _sane_ with mine.

All thoughts were suddenly forgotten when he kissed me again. His pace was strong and determined and I tried to keep up with him but I could only whimper and moan against his mouth. His soft lips trailed south and sucked at my neck all the way down to my breasts. His hands kneaded my tender swell while he rubbed the tips with his thumb eliciting a breathy sigh from my lips. I thrashed my head to the sides, the fire of my unsatisfied body from awhile ago returned with a vengeance. When he sucked on my rosy peaks, I had to bite my lip and clutch onto the cloak beneath me to keep from shouting aloud. He rolled his tongue on my hardened tips while biting on it gently and I unconsciously arched my back and sobbed like a wounded thing.

His lips returned to my face and he nibbled at my earlobe for a while. He probed my ear with his tongue making me gasp at the sensation that made my skin crawl.

I felt him smile against my cheek as he said promisingly, "I will not disappoint you this time."

"You better not." I pulled him in for a kiss and pressed my hips to his groin and feel his erection… just to make sure.

His hand stroked me in all the right places and I shifted my body to allow him better access. His fingers worked their magic leaving goosebumps all over my skin. I heard him moan in appreciation when I arched my back and pressed my breasts to his chest and began to rub against him. He pushed me down with the weight of his masculine body while his hand drifted to the sides, running up and down my ribcage in an excruciatingly slow pace. I bit him hard on the shoulder in return and he hissed in pleasure and pain.

He kissed his way down to my neck and breasts all the way to the flatness of my stomach and hips. I ran my fingers through his silky hair and asked… no… _demanded_ for more contact. He was doing all these pleasurable things to me and I was so caught up in it that I didn't even notice him taking the rest of his clothing off.

A finger slipped inside me and I instinctively pumped myself on it. Finally, he was giving me what I wanted. He stroked me again and again, pressing his thumb against my bud and drawing whimpers and moans from my lips. I shut my eyes tight as I let it all sink in, my whole body focused only in the attainment of pleasure. I tried to move and grind myself against him but his other hand pressed on my hips and kept me in place. I was at his mercy as he pumped his fingers inside of me, moving in faster and faster with each thrust.

When I suddenly felt his mouth suck eagerly at my breast, I thought I had lost my mind and let out a feral groan. I writhed beneath him as his mouth sucked in rhythm with his hand. My own shaking hand traveled all over him, encouraging his gratifying ministrations on my flushed body.

I almost cried with disappointment when his fingers left me but then I felt the hardened tip of his member push against my entrance. I pressed back with eagerness, wanting to feel him deep inside me but he held my hips with both hands and restrained my body. He promised he would not disappoint me but this entire prelude… all this anticipation building up to this one moment was driving me crazy. My heart was racing uncontrollably and I was trembling from all the suspense that I could barely breathe. I leaned back with my eyes closed and waited for him to take action.

"Open your eyes, Sakura." he whispered breathily. "I want you to look at me when I enter you."

Even the way he said it was enough to make me gasp. I kept my jaded eyes focused on his black ones as he pushed himself inside me, intolerably slow. A deep look of concentration was on his face as he struggled not to thrust in hard and fast but I clearly saw the lust in his onyx eyes. I clenched my teeth together and tried to keep my eyes on him but I just couldn't do it with all the pleasurable sensations that raked though my body. I rolled back my head and closed my eyes tight.

"Look at me." he gave my shoulder a gentle shake and he pushed in deeper after I complied.

I gripped on his shoulders painfully when he finally sheathed himself fully inside me. My mouth fell open but I could only gasp when I felt him deep in me, firm and hard, his size almost a caress unto itself. I held my breath for a moment to let it all sink in. He started a slow rhythm as he rocked his hips with mine and all I could do was whine and grab on the masculine body on top of me.

I felt his control waver when I drew him in for a searing kiss. He buckled on top of me, grinding his pelvis onto mine with a loud groan against pursed lips. He cradled my head in one hand, tugged at my hair gently to one side and attacked my neck violently with his lips and tongue. He bit hard on the sensitive flesh and sucked on it aggressively, leaving a scarlet mark along my neckline. I was angry at first but a small part of me relished the thought of him claiming me in that sense. He was in control and I was completely at his mercy as he drove in and out of me. I never knew total surrender could be so rewarding.

I wanted to scream and cry when he finally picked up the pace and slammed hips with mine, the slickness between us sounded so arousing that I felt my blood boil with lust. He pulled out completely before crashing his hips against me, over and over again until I screamed my pleasure shamelessly. He moved up and down on me, his chest pounded on my breasts with each thrust. The feeling of being totally consumed was too overpowering to comprehend. I was possessed by an innate consciousness that sought out pleasure in its purest, most uninhibited form. I crossed my legs around his torso and pulled him in into a faster, deeper pace. I reached for him and gently ran my fingers through his silky hair…

And then I saw it…

And I felt all blood drain out of my body in an instant…

I thought I was free… that I was unrestrained and liberated from the heavy chains that bound my body and imprisoned my heart when I slipped through the door earlier and left the thought of Sasuke behind it. I thought I had cried it all out of me…

But there it was, gleaming bright under the moonlight…

The heaviest shackle of all…

The ring around my finger…

A livid choke was trapped inside my throat and I couldn't breathe. I suddenly felt claustrophobic beneath him. The thought of my betrayal and deception… not so much of Sasuke but more for myself… made me sick to my stomach. It made me so nauseous that I wanted to vomit.

I thought I could do this every night and not feel any remorse for it. I thought I was numb enough…but the fact was that… I was still human.

Tears started to fall from my eyes. I saw myself writhing beneath him like a crazed animal and I felt ashamed. My honor, which was all I had left, was shattered along with my integrity as a woman.

My body turned to lead and my mind stopped working. I forgot to breathe while I stared at the canopy of trees above without really seeing any of it. I couldn't move, even if I wanted to. The truth finally sank in and slapped me square on the face that I could no longer ignore it. This was no game. This was real life. I could no longer act as if this was all staged for my amusement… to fill the empty void created by my self-pity. I could no longer pretend…

I was unfaithful.

Itachi noticed my distress and slowed his movements to a stop but still buried deep inside me.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

I couldn't find the words to say what I felt. Meeting Itachi was the best thing that happened to me. But the fact was… I was married… and as if things weren't bad enough… I was married to his brother.

"Itachi… I…I can't do this anymore." I cried softly, tears falling from the corners of my eyes. "I am married…"

It tore me apart to say those words for I would like nothing better than to be with him. The painful tug of my heart told me that I should withdraw what I had just said but the logical part of me won't let me do it. I was married to Sasuke, I could pretend as long as I want, but the facts would never change. It was better to end the charade before I loose the rest of my sanity.

He just stared at me as if I had gone insane and I honestly wish that he would just kill me right there. It was easier than seeing the pained look on his face.

Neither one of us moved or said anything for a long tense moment, both conscious of the difficulty of formulating words to say. We were still joined together but I could feel nothing, only the chilly ice-ness of his eyes on me. The look he was giving me was so intense it could make a hundred warriors fall down on their knees. I held my breath in anticipation of what would happen next.

"Sakura…" he spoke at last. "There are many ways to break a bond."

He said it, void of any emotion and feeling, merely stating a fact. He was back to being the cold, heartless killer everyone knew… and it petrified me all the way to the bones.

"What… what are you saying?!" I said, unable to believe that he was actually telling me this. "Itachi, you can't possibly mean… _that_?"

"Why not? I've done it before… I'm sure _you_ can do it too." He said monotonously, his icy breath sent shivers down my spine.

Could I? Am I really capable of doing exactly what _he_ did years ago?

I mentally slapped my self back to reality. I wanted scream and run away from him. He was polluting me with his dark thoughts and wicked words and I was actually listening to it. I was dishonored… but I would never stoop down to cold blooded murder. Even though I loathe Sasuke, I certainly don't want him dead, at least not on my account. My conscience would never let me rest if that happens.

I pushed against his shoulder insistently, wanting to get away from him but he grabbed my hands and pinned them against the ground and held me immobile.

"I can't, Itachi! Please… let me go!" I pleaded through the tears that fell from my eyes. I began to kick my legs and jerk my way out but he was heavy and his member was still buried in me. He pushed me down with his weight and silenced any protest my body would have done.

"Then I will do it for you…" his eyes were gleamed with a menace, promising that he will accomplish what he just said.

"No, you can't! Itachi… please!"

"Why do you want to protect him? Do you still love that foolish brother of mine?"

"No, Itachi. You don't understand…"

"Then make me understand, Sakura. Make me!"

His grip around my wrists tightened to a painful hold. I could tell that he was angry but…

"It's hard enough for me… don't make it worse. Itachi, please… I can't do it… It's not that simple!"

He let go of my hands and caringly wrapped his arms all around my body and pulled me closer to his. He brought his head at the side of mine and whispered through my ear. "I want you, Sakura… I want you for myself. He does not deserve you."

I had never been wanted like this in my life. He made feel like a woman, that I was not worthless after all. My hands instinctively went to his head and cradled it against my shoulder. His admission only made matters worse for it only destroyed my sense of judgment even more. I wanted him as well. Had circumstances been different, I would have gone with him in a heartbeat.

But life was cruel to me, taunting me with things I cannot have. As if I have not suffered enough, it had to tear me apart inside and out. I cried earnestly against his shoulder. I wanted to be with him as well but…

"I can't, Itachi… I just can't" I held onto him with all my strength, knowing it would probably be our last moment together.

He held onto me tighter.

"Please let me go…" It was only half meant but if I was to leave there with my sanity intact, then I had to make my decision and stand by it.

His body stiffened and squeezed me so tight that I was afraid I was going to faint. I struggled to free myself out of instinct but he was too strong for me. I kicked my legs in sincere urgency to be released but he was heavy and unyielding. I was trapped beneath him and could only hope that he show pity upon me.

I saw his eyes flicker red with anger for a short moment before he gave a loud sigh and took his weight off me, supporting it with elbows on both sides of my head. I was still underneath him but at least he was considerate enough and gave me space to breathe.

"You can choose to leave if you want to, I will not stop you…" he said calmly "…if you leave now, I will erase your memories of me and you will never see me again."

My heart pounded in my chest and blood pooled to my brain. He was giving me a choice…a way to escape…

I could leave all this behind and forget this ever happened. I could wake up tomorrow as if nothing took place the night before. I could have my honor back and not feel ashamed about my betrayal. I could pretend that what happened between us was just a dream best left forgotten. No one would suspect me of disloyalty. No one would ever know.

But I will never see him again.

Could I really give him up that easily? Could I really turn my back on him… the only man who made me feel like I was worth something? Would it be _that_ easy to forget everything we shared?

I was torn apart. The feeling was worse than what I felt when I saw the ring and realized my betrayal, because this… this was my choice… to leave or to stay. I was a woman trapped in the middle of a rotting bridge with no other options but to go back or to move forward.

When I look back, I see Sasuke and my unhappy marriage that I have to live with for the rest of my life… but my honor and my soul will still be intact. When I glance ahead, I see Itachi promising a life full of passion heated with desire, but it is a life clouded in sin with consequences that I have to bear with.

I was burdened with so many questions in my head analyzing every possible outcome of my decision. When I managed to answer one, two others appeared and left me with more uncertainties than I first had. And even when I answered them all, I came no closer to a conclusion… because the heaviest question of all was something that only time can tell.

_Is it worth it? _

I looked at him, waiting patiently for my answer. His manhood was rigid inside me it was almost painful. I felt the hard throb of his pulse beating against my walls, a testimony of his desire for me but his face revealed nothing. I wondered for a moment if he was really willing to let me leave unscathed.

"I made my choice." I said in a whisper…

…

I pulled him in for a kiss and could only hope that this was the right one.

I felt him smirk triumphantly against my mouth but I chose to ignore it. Nothing mattered to me anymore except him and out heated passion for each other. I closed my eyes in total surrender. He started to move in me again. A strong arm wrapped around my waist while an arm dug underneath me and grasped my shoulder, holding me in place as his rough thrusting ravaged my body unrelentingly. My walls began to constrict around his manhood that I could almost feel every ridge of it as it penetrated my core again and again, each push earning a breathy moan from my lips.

I clenched my thighs against his hips and screamed incomprehensible words when I felt him hit that sensitive part of me. His almost violent thrusts invaded my body with such excruciating tension that I honestly felt like I was dying in a bed of sweet roses. I squirmed under him, trying to get as much contact as I could and I clenched my fingers against the cloak beneath me too prevent myself from loosing my mind. He pulled out and roughly slid back in, sending jolts of electricity to every part of my body. He slammed his hips against me with the full weight of his body in his aggressive search for his own fulfillment.

I looked at him with eyes clouded in desire and saw his dark onyx ones turn to bloody reds, preparing to draw me into his world of red clouds against black skies and stretch our moment of pleasure dangerously close to the edge of sheer insanity.

"Don't" I muttered amidst the panting of my breath. "I want this to be real."

He blinked once and his eyes returned to normal blacks.

He pummeled me with his intense need and I fell to pieces under the strain of unreleased pressure between my legs. I tried to cry out for dear life but his lips were on mine and my screams were drowned against his mouth as it assaulted me. I clawed and scratched at his back when my body convulsed uncontrollably, feeling the sensation only he could give. His arms around me tightened to a painful hold and his movements grew desperate, so close to the verge of carnal thirst for gratification.

"Say my name, Sakura." he thrust in me harder.

"Itachi…" I mumbled, my mind lost in pleasure.

"Louder, Sakura. Say it louder!"

"Itachi!"

"Scream my name, dammit!"

"ITACHI!"

I arched my back in response to the toe curling sensations that ripped though my body as the peak of my arousal finally came crashing down on me with a load a hundred times better than what his tsukiyami could have done. Tremors ran throughout me from head to toe and I yielded to the contractions that wrecked through my lower body. I screamed his name shamelessly as wave upon blazing wave of fiery pleasure swept across me that I felt like I have died and gone to heaven.

He still came on me, with a desire so raw I couldn't tell where he ended and I began. I clenched my muscles tighter and his prided self control was lost as he pierced through me harder than ever before and spilled his warmth inside me with a deep growl escaping from his throat. He lowered his shaking body on top of mine and I cradled him against my chest as we tremble in the aftershocks of our scorching lust.

"Run to me…" he barely whispered against my flushed skin.

His statement did not make sense in my pleasure muddled mind so I took it for what it probably was… random mumblings in the aftermath of passion.

He rolled to his back and brought me with him, my head resting on his chest. I listened to the hard beating of his heart and smiled to myself.

_He is human after all._

I wrapped my arms around his torso and pressed myself closer to him. His hand played with my hair while the other tugged at the edge of the cloak under us and covered our tired forms against the cold breeze. Fully satiated in every aspect, we enjoyed each others warmth as we waited for our bodies to recover from the strain they had undergone. I prayed to god that time would stop and let me relish the moment longer.

But time stops for no one, least of all for me.

"I love you, Itachi." I whispered softly.

I knew I was taking a risk, leaping over a gaping ravine without knowing if I could make it to the other end.

But I leapt anyway.

He did not answer and I really did not expect him to. I simply wanted him to know how I felt. I have experienced enough pain to learn that failed expectations were the worst possible torture anyone could submit themselves into and I was not about to make the same mistake twice.

He may not love me back, but at least I was prepared for it this time.

"We have to go." he said after a few minutes passed between us.

I pried my body from him and stood up on feeble knees and looked for my clothing. We dressed in silence. I turned my back on him and he pulled the zipper of my dress up. His hands rested on my hips and pulled me close against his chest.

"Will I see you again?"

I gave a cheerless smile. Like a little game we play, it was always the same parting words he gave me and I was expected to answer same as always… '_I don't know.'_

…

But not tonight. I was done playing games.

"No, Itachi. This is our last night together. I cannot pretend anymore. It's over." I said in a quivering voice, barely a whisper.

I made my choice.

Standing in the middle of the rotting bridge, I refused to go back or to move forward. Instead, I cut the ropes which held the bridge together and let myself fall into the deadly abyss.

I would return to my home with Sasuke and though he could have my body, Itachi would always have my heart. I will cherish the moments he and I shared and would hold on to them for as long as I lived.

I would never forget him.

It would be painful and it would be difficult, but I was prepared for it. I have gone through hell and survived. I could endure anything.

The hands on my hips tightened and pressed me against his chest harshly. I could feel the angry glare he was giving me from behind but I stayed my ground. I would not sway.

His hand parted my cherry hair to one side and pressed his lips on the scarlet mark on my neck, the one that he inflicted earlier.

"I will see you again." he said.

It was a statement, not a question. His voice held so much confidence and assurance, as if he knew something I don't. For a short moment, I wondered what it was that gave him such certainty but before I could turn around and confront him, he was gone and left me cold and alone in the dark.

I stared at the lake for a short while and savored the moment of serenity it gave me. I would never stand in this place again and wait for Itachi, because although my heart yearns for him, I already belonged to someone else.

I belonged to Sasuke.

I thought about my husband as I made my way back to the wretchedness that was my life. I found it ironic that I received more warmth in the embrace of a cold blooded murderer than I ever had beneath Sasuke's body. It seemed bizarre that I felt more emotions course through me in the short moment I spent with Itachi than all the days I had with his brother combined. It was strange to learn that the affection that I have been yearning for was given to me by the _other_ Uchiha.

I found all of it so peculiar that it made me laugh inside… and I laughed so hard that it made me want to cry.

I cried.

I found myself standing on the doorstep of my apartment. I could already sense the depressing quality of my home seeping though the door and my heart dropped down to the floor. I was back where I started, but I was no longer the same Sakura that went through this door earlier. My hand latched on the doorknob and I turned it slowly.

I caught a glimmer of gold shine against the streetlight. I looked at the ring on my hand and I felt… nothing, none of the guilt and indignity I felt earlier, none of the remorse and shame that besieged my conscience.

Nothing.

I wondered if maybe Itachi did manage to set me free after all.

Or perhaps…

I had become _damned_ as well.

He was Sasuke's brother, family and enemy… but that meant nothing to me.

To me, he was my lover… if only for a short while.

In his embrace, I finally learned what it truly felt like… a passion so strong it overcame my inhibitions.

And I could finally say without a doubt…

_Love is definitely thicker than blood. _

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Edited: Nov.16

A/N: I have officially gone insane 0.o.. I think I have read way too many lemons than the average healthy person should. _'lowers head in shame'_


	4. Vengeance Written in Blood

**Thicker than Blood**

**Disclaimer**: the characters are not mine!

**Chapter Warning:** **Angst**… **angst**… and just in case you haven't had enough… more

**angst**!

**_A/N: please note that Sasuke's POV occurred on the same night that Sakura made her final decision. To be more specific, right fater Sakura went through the door..._**

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**Chapter 4: Vengeance Written in Blood**

_**Sasuke… (part 1)**_

_Who does she think she is trying to fool?_

I heard the bedroom door click to a close, signaling her departure. I opened my eyes and was greeted by the eerie shadows that swayed along with the window drapes. Faint beams of moonlight peeped through the thick curtains even though they were drawn together. The lampshade beside the bed was within reach but I had no intention of turning on the lights just yet in case she decided to come back. The room was ghostly cold despite the warmer that was installed in the corner.

It had been oddly chilly in our place… ever since the first time she left me for her nightly trips and it got even colder every time she returned. I have a strange feeling the environment wasn't the only thing affecting the temperatures of our home.

She went though the door again and I let her leave…

Again.

To where, I don't know. With whom, I don't care. For what reason… well I was not _that_ insensitive not to notice my own wife's discontentment with our arrangement. I may be a lot of things, but I was most definitely not that senseless and overlook her late night disappearances the way she thought I would.

I knew this would happen. I anticipated it all along even before we got married. I knew she would not be satisfied with what I give her and that she'd want more from me. I knew she would feel miserable, imprisoned within the terms of our marriage.

But I still let it happen…

_Why?_

I asked myself that question countless times and I found many answers… or should I say… many excuses… to that riddle, but only one made sense.

_I was selfish._

…

I rolled on my back and reached for her side of the bed as I stared flatly at the ceiling. Her side was cold and empty, exactly what she was inside. She had lost that vibrant aura that was distinctively hers. She was lifeless, unresponsive and yielding, the fiery tempered Sakura was gone… replaced by the innate phantom that dwelled on her shadows and fed upon her misery.

She barely even smile at me anymore and on the rare occasions that she does, it lack the warmth that used to radiate from her. Her touches are no longer affectionate, her caresses are without sincerity and the way she look at me…

She looked at me with obvious _regret_ in her emerald eyes.

She lived life one day at a time and did everything in routine, as bare and as hollow as an empty gourd. Gone were her childlike characteristics, her annoying curiosity… her irritating sensitivity… her nauseating notion to care…

The very things that endeared her to me...

She was unhappy, depressed and disheartened.

I made her into splitting image of _myself._

…

I ran my fingers through the sheets where her body laid just a moment ago. Even though she was numb from the world and distant from reality when we did the act, I managed to capture the hint of sweet strawberries that was her unique scent. Her feminine presence lingered in the darkness of our room and suffocated me with emotions that I never expect to feel. I sensed the softness of her skin even though it lacked warmth and her delicate features were carved on my mind, try as I might to erase them.

I heard the front door – ever so slightly- creak open and close with a soft click… and once again, she was out of my reach. I pulled myself up and sat on the edge of the bed. I saw the shadows against the walls more clearly, taunting me for being so weak in many aspects. A strange feeling made my stomach churn and I held a shaking hand to my chest… to calm the unknown force that squeezed at my heart.

I had a nauseating feeling that it was my conscience, the fickle friend I often wish I never had.

She wanted love, but it was a luxury I cannot give. It was true that I married her for reasons less than what was normally expected, but even then, I did care for her in ways that I never cared for anyone else. She was someone special to me, if it amounted to anything at all… and I married her because I want her, for whatever purpose it may serve.

Nobody held a knife at my throat. Nobody threatened me. No one on earth could have possibly forced me into this marriage… if I did not want it myself.

I could never tell her this though, that was _unique_ in my eyes. I could never show her what kind of hold she has on me…the hold which I painstakingly tried to avoid…

But caught me anyway.

So I pushed her away, as far away from me as possible. I built a wall of sullenness to keep her out and locked myself in it. She reached out but I ignored her attempt. She called to me but I played deaf. She pounded on the wall with her fists and I turned my back on her.

I don't want to be held. I don't want to be embraced. I don't want to be loved.

She thought I did all these things simply to hurt her.

Little did she know… that behind the prison I built for myself… underneath the mantle of insensitivity I carry… behind the dispassionate mask I wore…

I too was hurting inside…

Because I couldn't bring myself to give her what she wanted from me.

I couldn't.

Because everything that I held dear, everything that I treasured and everyone that I loved…

Died…

This was the burden I was forced to carry… to live my life in solitude, never knowing how to accept love in all its wonderful forms and give the same in return. It was the predicament I was given, on that fateful night when I was forced to witness the merciless reality called 'life'. My young, immature mind was traumatized beyond healing, when I saw the people I love die by the hands of someone I too loved.

It was a long time ago, but it still haunted me in my sleep. I saw the shadows of my clan dropping to the ground like dead fireflies everywhere I look, on the street… in the forests… at my own house. I smelled the coppery scent of blood tainting everything in a bright color of vermilion… as if it happened only yesterday. And I saw his eyes, mocking me for my weakness… because I couldn't save the people I love.

Since then, I viewed love as a curse… the bane that runs though my blood… and I was afraid that if I love her the same way I did them…

She would meet the same ending they did.

…

I walked to the window and gently parted the drapes with one hand. The moonlight illuminated the dark room in a bluish hue and forced the shadows to retreat to one corner. I was engulfed by the ethereal light coming from the heavens, shying away the dimness in my soul, making me feel at peace for one brief second. I stood there by the window and craned my neck, straining to catch a last glimpse of pink against the shadows of the night… but she was out of my sight, in more ways than one. I pulled the drapes back together and just like that… I was back within the confines of darkness.

I pushed her away, for her own protection. But I fear I may have pushed her too far…

Straight into the arms of another man.

Another man…

I ignored all the signs even though they were trampling on my dignity and slapping me right on the face. I smelled the masculine scent on her skin even from across the room. I felt the heat from her blood even after she had taken a shower. I sensed the fire flowing through her veins. Stronger even, once she climbed back to the bed she and I shared.

But the stench of another man was getting too strong to ignore anymore and all the signs were becoming clearer.

I wiped the sweat on my forehead with a shaking hand as anger started to overwhelm my emotions. I clenched my jaws together and fought for control. Adrenaline pumped through my veins and I felt my heart race with rage. My hand itched for something to break… and my mind instantly thought of her pretty little neck. It connected to the wall of our bedroom instead, creating a huge crater in the middle. Pieces of crumbled cement fell down on the floor and the whole house quivered with the intensity of the blow it received, but that was nothing compared to what I would have done if she was within view.

How dare she do this to me!? Is this how she shows her love for me, leaving me in the middle of the night for the embrace of someone else?!

I practically told her up front that she could expect no love from me but she insisted! I never forced her into this mess! I gave her every chance to say 'no' but she didn't!

She didn't!

The stubborn fool still chose me… saying how much she cares for me… how much she loves me… but now she's running around in the middle of the night to meet her damned lover!

My breath grew ragged and shallow and my sight darkened with fury. I pounded on the wall over and over again but still it wasn't enough. I knew I was making a disturbance and waking up the entire street but I couldn't care less! I needed to get all this frustration out of my chest and if that meant tearing down the whole house, then I will.

All this was her fault! I laid out my cards and told her my intentions. I told her not to expect anything from me!

She brought all these misery… all these despair…

She could blame no one else but herself!

A choke was trapped inside my throat and my eyes misted with tears but I held it back. I told myself I would never cry for her… the fool who betrayed my trust. I gave the wall one last punch before leaning my back on it. I put both hands on my head in a pathetic attempt to hold back the tears that threatened to escape.

I refused to cry for her! Never for her!

I was shaking from all the resentment that coursed through my body and the ache in my heart intensified tenfold. I shook my head and tried to think clearly but I couldn't… not with all the anger that wanted to be released. I lifted my head up and pounded it on the wall behind me… over and over again but the throbbing pain in my head won't quit.

So I let my aching soul engulf me and I accepted it without a fight. The pain was unimaginable, worst than any physical torture I have endured. It tore me up from inside out. I felt betrayed, cheated and deceived in the worst possible way.

I let my angst torment me… until I have reached the threshold of pain… until I couldn't feel any of it anymore… until I grew numb from it all. I calmed down the nerves that raked through my body and took a long deep breath. It somehow managed to calm my emotions long enough for me to think… and I took this chance to reflect on the true source of my anger.

I thought to myself…

If she was the one to blame for all this…

If she brought this misery upon herself…

If all this was her fault…

_Then why do I feel so guilty? _

_-----------------------_

I put on my boxers and paced around the room nervously, trying to shake off the unwanted feelings from my body. Minutes passed by like hours as I waited for her return. My mind was in chaos, asking questions that have no answers, leaving me more confused and more stressed out. I glanced at the crater in the wall I had created out of frustration and gave a feeble smile.

"I will have to find an excuse for that one when she gets back." I thought to myself.

_Are you sure she's coming back?_

"Of course I'm sure, she always does."

_What if she doesn't?_

"Then I will find her and drag her back home…"

_What if she wanted to stay with him?_

"Who?"

_Her lover…_

"Then I will kill him… _then_ drag her back home…"

…

_You don't even know who he is…_

…

I smacked my head on the wall once again to silence the thoughts of my mind.

_Dammit Sasuke, you need to know!_

But do I _want_ to know? I wasn't exactly sure.

It was one thing to learn that my wife was cheating on me, but a completely different notion to actually confirm it with my own eyes. Somehow, a small part of me still believed that the Sakura I married was not capable of this deception. Innocent and sweet little Sakura would never do this to me.

It was like this every single time, a conflict of mind against heart, and it felt like I was waging war against my inner demons.

A bead of sweat dropped down from my forehead and I balled my hands into a tight fist. I parted the drapes again and looked out the window, for the fifth time this night. The path she took suddenly became clearer, tempting me to follow my instincts and seek her out. I clutched at the curtains and my knuckles turned white as I battled against the part of me that wanted to know the truth while the other half wanted to stay in the comforts of darkness.

I gave a loud sigh and place my hand on my head as I made my decision. I knew I was going to regret it later but I couldn't care less anymore.

I closed the drapes again and made my way across the room, straight towards the mahogany closet where my uniforms were hung. I let my fingers trace lightly at my ANBU uniform, my jounin vest and my usual attire of dark blue shirt with the Uchiha fan symbol at the back. My weapons were laid out neatly, shuriken, kunai and various tags and summoning scrolls were piled up in order while accessories and bags hung from the closet door.

Sakura prided herself for her tidiness.

I pulled out my stealth clothes, black turtle neck and dark pants and contemplated for a moment if I should bring my weapons. I picked up a black kunai and twirled it around. It glided smoothly between my fingers, almost like it was a part of my body and the cool metal gave me some sense of comfort. I tucked it inside my belt and headed for the window.

A strong wind blew the drapes open and the curtains fluttered wide with an invitation for me to go outside. I crouched at the window sill with hesitation, but I pushed the uncertainty behind and gracefully jumped down to the ground without even making a single sound. I glanced back up the window… the window where I spent long, heart wrenching hours, waiting for her to come home.

I turned around and forced my attention back on the path before me. The moonlight illuminated the road with conviction, as if I was fated to walk though this trail this very night.

I took one step forward… and another step…and another… It was too late to turn back now.

It seemed to me that at last… after all the pain and torment I went though while awaiting her return…

The demon inside me finally won.

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A/N: If you are confused, please bear with it for the meantime. It will all clear out later in the later chapters. Anyway, thank you for the kind words and reviews you gave me, it means so much to me and I've never been this inspired to finish a story before. Thank you! And to Magenkyotenchiten, I am honored that you risked that much just to read my fic. Thank you!


	5. Twice is too Much

**Thicker than Blood**

**Disclaimer:** Nope, still don't own them!

**Chapter Warning:** **Bright rainbows, fluffy bunnies and angel choirs ahead**… _Yeah right!_

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**Chapter 5: Twice is too much**

_**Sasuke…**_

The night was beautiful… for lack of better words. The full moon hid itself behind thick clouds which reduced what little light it gave, perfect for the task which I had imposed on myself. The air was chilly but there was no breeze, as if the wind itself held its breath for me. A thin mist fogged up the area, covering the leaves with scattered drops of dew. My dampened clothing glued itself on me like a second skin with a freezing hold but that was the least of my worries. Everything was silent and solemn, utterly peaceful as I jumped from branch to branch. My actions betrayed nothing. The darkness embraced me as I merged my body with the shadows that sheltered everything in the stillness of the night.

The late night stroll through the woods would have been enjoyable, if it wasn't for the certainty of dread that awaited me at the end of my mission.

Sharingan eyes gleamed red with fervor, piercing through the dimness as I tracked the path Sakura took. It was an easy trail to follow. She did not use her charka and jumped though the trees the way she usually does. Instead, she took her time and leisurely strolled through the forest as if she was going someplace ordinary. Stray leaves, broken twigs and delicate footprints embedded on moist soil guided me to the area where she went. But even if there were no markers around and she took extra care of concealing her trail, I had this strange feeling that I knew exactly where she was headed.

The path was vaguely familiar, as if I had been there years ago. Though I could not pinpoint exactly why, it felt as though I was running across the same course again, but it had absolutely nothing to do with the destination.

Better said…it felt as if I was reliving the same experience twice.

The dread in my heart intensified to a point where I could almost hear it pounding painfully on my chest and I nearly slipped off branch I landed on, dazed by the emotions that welled up inside of me. There had been very few circumstances when my calm, unruffled personality failed me and each instance, although memorable, was something I didn't want to experience ever again.

Once was when I had the fight with Naruto and the next was when I saw may parents die.

The fire rushing though my veins and the uncontrollable trembling in my limbs told me to prepare myself for something worse… far worse.

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The dried leaves beneath my feet crackled softly as I landed on the ground and surveyed the environment, hinting for any sign of movement that was not my own. There was none except what one would normally find in a forest at night. The tension in the atmosphere was so dense it was almost tangible. Red eyes scanned the area for anything out of place and my fingers tinkered with the kunai on my belt, something that had become a habit to me since the massacre of my clan.

I abruptly sensed movement coming from the left, not far from where I was crouched. My whole body stiffened into a defensive stance, trained fingers gripped the cold knife tightly. Alert and prepared for whatever caused the noise, I calmed the loud beating of my heart and strained my eyes against the darkness in an effort to recognize the source of the commotion, but I couldn't see anything past the dim lighting. So I pressed myself against the shadows and waited patiently for it to reveal itself.

A sudden rustle of leaves came from behind and made my heart skip a beat. Caught by surprise, I jerked my head instantly towards the source of the sound with the kunai held in front of me; ready for the attack I was certain would come even though I knew there was no time for me to react.

_Shit._ I mentally cursed myself for being so careless that I let an enemy take advantage over me so easily. Where had all that training, all that hours spent honing my skills gone to?

Apparently, it all left me to be killed.

I held my breath as the next seconds flashed before me as if in slow motion. I expected a sharp knife to suddenly appear and cut me down dead before I even had the chance to see who it was. I knew I was a second too late.

The bushes shook violently for one tense moment….and I gave a soft sigh of ease…

A growling wolf emerged from the thickets with what seemed to be its meal wedged between its tight jaws. Blood was dripping from its mouth and the wounded animal struggled futilely before succumbing to its fate. The unfortunate prey was devoured ruthlessly and I watched in relief that it was not my blood staining the soft grass tonight. The hunter licked its lips to savor the last traces of its treat before running off deeper into the forest in pursuit of its next prey.

I forced myself to relax and fight the anxiety that was clouding my mind and overwhelming body. I knew I was acting too uptight and edgy over something as simple as spying on my wife, treating it if it was a high ranking operation of utmost importance. I wondered why I even decided to bring a weapon in the first place. I certainly had no intentions of killing anyone. All I wanted was the identity of the man Sakura was with.

Then again, my gut instinct and the lingering feeling that I was headed towards an S-class mission refused to be ignored. Intuition was what kept me alive after all these years of being a shinobi and I learned from experience never to disregard it. The life of a ninja was much like that of the wolf and its meal. It was a constant game of hunter and prey, kill or be killed.

For the moment, I too was playing that game... and although I knew I was supposedly playing the role of the predator tonight…

My subconsciousness told me not to be so sure.

-------------------

The faint, rasping whispers carried by the wind almost made my heart stop beating. I nearly lost my footing as soon as I heard the voices. The branch I landed on creaked slightly and I instantly veiled myself its shadows before I loose the rest of my composure. I forced myself to breathe and to remain calm even as my inner self yelled to be released and announce my arrival by drawing blood.

The source of the murmurs was coming from a small clearing directly behind tree I landed on, but I did not have the courage to look past the barrier just yet.

With my body crouched inconspicuously and my back pressed against the wood, it did not take too much out of me to recognize her soft, feminine voice, the other was deep and husky. It was apparent from Sakura's pleading pitch and the man's sharp tone that they were having an argument but I was still too far away to hear any of the words they uttered... or perhaps the murmurs were dulled by the loud throbbing in my ear, my pulse echoing inside my head. In any case, I felt lightheaded and dazed, definitely not in the position to think clearly and try to decipher what they were saying.

I tried to hold back the fury that threatened to burst out and reminded myself that this was just another mission, one among many others I had done flawlessly. I forced my mind into a mental state of complete apathy, killing all the emotions I had since it does little to good let feelings cloud one's judgment in situations such as this. The ability to consciously detach the human aspects from one's self was the most important attribute of being a ninja… and I was a supposedly a master of this skill since it came to me so naturally.

All of those thoughts, however, flew out the window the moment realization hit me like a lightning bolt. It was like a having a cold shower after coming out from a blistering, hot spring. My blood seemed to freeze instantly and so did the rest of my body.

_I had heard that other voice before. _

His voice sounded so familiar, like a forgotten memory or a repressed perception preserved within the confines of my subconsciousness. Whether I simply forgot or refused to remember… I wasn't so sure.

But even though I couldn't tell if he was a friend of mine, an acquaintance from old times, or an enemy from long ago, I was certain that it belonged to someone I had dealings with in the past.

She was with someone I knew.

The man spoke again, a deep grumbling sound that made it seem like it came from deep within the earth. It sounded cold and emotionless. I thought Sakura wanted something different in her life. How she fell for someone who had a voice with the same quality as mine was beyond my understanding.

My imagination instantly ran wild and I envisioned his filthy hands on Sakura's pale skin, his rancid breath on her shoulders, his hungry lips on her body. A mental picture of him caressing her in ways only I was permitted to do so made me want to vomit…and the bitter fact that I knew who he was added insult to injury.

I walked out the house earlier confident that could control my emotions and had no intentions of killing anyone…

But I'd be _damned_ to hell if I let him take my wife so easily! Who was this _bastard_ who assumed he can just lay my wife in the middle of the forest and get away with it?!

My knuckles turned white and almost cracked from the pressure as I clenched it tightly. A bead of cold sweat dropped down from the side of my forehead and my teeth chattered from the fierce anger that wanted to run wild and destroy everything within sight. Shallow breaths escaped my lips as both my arms and legs stiffened. My instincts screamed for bloodshed, still unable to believe the latest revelation I had found.

But the discovery was not enough just yet and even though I knew I would be horrified at what I would find… I needed to know more and there was only one way to find out.

With the stiff fingers of one hand digging into the hard wood for support, I crept around in an angle just enough to peek through the outline of the trunk by the corner of my eye, my back pressed to the tree as close as possible to camouflage myself and remain hidden from their view. Careful not to make so much as a noise least they detect my arrival, my other hand splayed across the wood for balance and a foot found a lower branch to step on. Cold sweat tricked down the length of my spine and my whole body became rigid, eager to find out who it was… but also troubled… for exactly the same reasons.

I took a final breath as I mentally prepared myself for the scandalous picture I was certain was behind my hiding place.

I craned my neck to one side, the view I had was just enough to see the silhouette of the man who lay on top of her, his darkened limbs entwined with her pale ones and their flushed bodies meshed together in an embrace so tight they almost looked one.

"Please let me go…" I heard Sakura's pleading voice and she squirmed under him as if she wanted to be free but he pressed on tighter and subdued her struggles. A small sense of ease swept across me with the knowledge that at least she was resisting him and was trying to escape his hold.

I activated my Sharingan and focused my eyes on the face of the man who I swore would be dead before the night ended….

…

But nothing…

Nothing on earth could have possibly prepared me from what my eyes so clearly looked upon.

The rest of my sanity fled me as I stared upon the face that was so similar to mine. True enough, because the accursed blood runs though my veins were the same as the ones that runs through his.

It was a slap on my face when I finally realized why the voice sounded so familiar.

It was the voice I had grown to despise, detest and loathe with every fiber of my body!

My blood boiled with a frenzied fury like nothing I had experienced before and my whole body shouted for vengeance the moment I discovered that it came from the man who destroyed everything that I held so dear… the man who forced me into the path of darkness… the man whose destruction was the sole purpose of my existence…

The voice belonged to Itachi Uchiha.

…

My heart was beating erratically, way beyond my control and it felt like my lungs failed me. The hairs on my back seemed to stand up as my adrenaline heightened senses focused on the man that was the source of my suffering. I tasted bile in my mouth but I pushed it back. A trembling hand reached for the cool metal that thirsted for his blood and I cursed myself for bringing nothing else. The man had 'S-class' pouring out from every pore of his body and anything within a mile radius from him was considered dangerous territory.

Logic told me that I was not prepared for this confrontation but reason fled me the moment I realized who he was. I was not about to pass out this chance of killing him when his fate wandered so closely with mine, prepared or not.

I had his death all planned out in my head since the time he laid his ultimatum on me. It would be slow and painful, equivalent to the years worth of torment I had undergone because of him. I wanted to watch him bleed to death, his life's essences slowly ebbing out of his body. I wanted to see him suffer and feel the pain that I had to go through every single day. I wanted to see his eyes loose their acclaimed power… and surrender to mine.

The kunai in my hand felt colder than usual as if it too was anticipating the fatal strike that I had yearned to give after all these years of waiting. I would get only one shot, one chance, a single opportunity to avenge my clan… and I'd be damned it I let it go to waste. I gripped the cold steel tightly and bended my knees, poised for the attack that would bring an end to my misery.

…

The attack never came…

Because he spoke again… in a voice so clear it sounded like the ringing of a bell on a windless night…

"You can choose to leave if you want to, I will not stop you. If you go now, I will erase your memories and you will never see me again." He said it in a calm voice that was veiled with malice.

My body was stunned by the meaning behind his words. I had forgotten about Sakura amidst the outrage that overwhelmed my emotions upon seeing my brother again. His statement snapped me out from my need for revenge and I instantly remembered my reason for being here. Hesitation held back my attack.

I pried my eyes away from Itachi and focused them on hers. Her jaded orbs were misted and silver traces of tears outlined her pale cheeks. Her pouting lips trembled, weighing the options given to her cautiously. It looked as if she wanted to say something… but the words were trapped inside her throat refusing to come out. Her graceful hands held onto his shoulder in such a way that I could not tell if she was pushing him back or pulling him closer. I would like to think that it was the first one, but the way her palms slowly rolled against his skin had me seriously doubting.

"Leave, Sakura! Leave and I will kill him…" I willed my thoughts on hers as I continued to stare at her motionless form. Her silence was unnerving and I found myself holding onto my own breath, waiting for her answer. The tension in the air was overpowering my senses, caught between wanting to know her reply and wanting to answer for her with cold, hard steel. The next moments passed by like hours but she still said nothing.

"What's taking her so long?! Just answer and leave, dammit!"

Eerie seconds passed by but still no word came past her lips… Could she honestly be thinking about staying with him? Time felt suspended in the air and my anticipation grew to a fevered pitch. Just the possibility that she could choose to stay with him had me on the verge of delirium.

"I made my choice…" she finally said. Her voice sounded clear and certain. I watched her hands cautiously travel from his shoulders to his nape, fingering the dark hair that was loosely tied behind his neck.

My heart literally shattered to pieces as I watched her kiss him with a fevered passion that she never gave me. They moved again and every gasp that went past her lips made me shudder. Every moan she offered made my skin crawl. Pure, unrestrained desire was evident in her jaded eyes. Her face contorted in one made up of pure pleasure and she screamed unintelligible words out into the air, her mind lost in the frenzy of her yearning. As if their intimacy wasn't fiery enough, she arched her back and brought her body closer to his, yielding everything to him. Her fingers dug into the cloak beneath her and savored the sensations that raked though her body. Her slender legs wrapped around his hips, pulling him deeper into her and encouraging his actions with a pleading voice. She grew restless underneath him, searching for the feeling that I somehow failed to give her.

Never, in all the days she had with me, did she show such fervor like the one she was giving him now and it hurt me more than anything else. It was a direct stab to my already broken heart.

It was way beyond betrayal now.

She clung to him for dear life and gave up everything she had left to surrender and he took it all in, consuming her and possessing her in every way imaginable. His lips ravaged hers, indulging in the sweet sounds that she made. Rough hands snaked all over her heated body as he thrust into her, claiming her as his own. His tongue traced pleasing patterns all over her skin and his lascivious eyes traveled to her most sensitive areas. All the while, she reveled in the attention he was giving her.

And I was forced to watch all of this, glued to the spot by the vision of Sakura submitting herself to the one person who destroyed my life. I tried to turn my head away from the sight but my body refused to obey my commands. I tried to close my eyes but an unknown force held them open. My lungs shouted for air and my limbs felt frozen and numb. The kunai in my hand felt heavy, a dragging weight that was insistently pulling me downwards… or perhaps I was growing weaker with every passing second. Sanity was slowly slipping away from me, escaping through my fingers like desert sand held too tightly.

"Say my name, Sakura…" Itachi demanded with a persuasive voice that was anything but gentle.

My heart stopped beating completely and a wretched choke was trapped inside my throat.

"Please don't, Sakura! Please don't say it… anything but his name!" I pleaded with everything I had in me and hoped that the wind brought the silent message to her ears.

…

My hope did not last long.

"Itachi…" she murmured softly…

Her voice was barely a whisper but I heard it clearly, as clear as the vision that was presented before me. It was the ultimate betrayal anyone could possibly do. It pierced though my skin like a hundred kunai knives and the pain was so unbearable I could hardly hold on to my consciousness. His name on her lips was the last thing I needed.

But, as if she hadn't tortured me enough… as if she wasn't satisfied with my pain… as if my suffering wasn't adequate just yet…

She had to repeat it…

Over and over again…

"Itachi!" she yelled out his name.

"ITACHI!"

And my world shattered before me.

I tried to block out her voice but failed miserably. I held both palms against my ears but his accursed name echoed inside my head… louder and louder each time. The dreadful visions of the massacre flashed back in my mind and once again, I watched Itachi destroy the things I valued most. Once again, he was ruining my life and taking my family away from me, only this time, in a method so much worse than death.

And I was compelled to stay there, her screams rooted me to the branch I was standing on, not caring if I was out in the open anymore. The intent to jump in and drive the kunai though Itachi's heart was stronger now more than ever, but the sight of Sakura's yielding body held me frozen. Her voice sliced through me and the pain was so intense that it seared though my flesh, through my bone, and right through my soul. I was tempted to cut myself with the kunai in hopes that it would wake me up from the nightmare I was in… but I knew that this was no dream. It was as real as it could possibly get.

Never in my life, did I feel this powerless, this weak …and once again, I failed to protect the person I cared for most in this world…

It was torture the first time… the way his katana pierced though my parents body… abandoning them at death's door and leaving me with memories of blood and pain.

But this time… this time…

It was just plain cruel.

…

Time seemed to pass by so slowly, like waiting for a fresh rose to wither or watching a grand lake turn into a desert. I could do nothing else besides stare vehemently at the scene laid before me. Itachi rolled over to his back with Sakura stretched out on top of his chest. Her eyes seemed fuzzy and dazed and her body trembled allover, still recovering from the impact it received. A scarlet blush that complimented her whitened skin perfectly stained her soft cheeks. Her hand reached out to stroke Itachi's shoulder, caringly dragging her slender fingers over the planes and muscles of his arm as if she was memorizing them just by plain touch. Pink locks were splayed all over his chest, covering his torso like a cascading waterfall of cherry blossoms, satisfaction written all over her womanly face.

I had never seen her look so beautiful in my life, but the sad part was… that beauty was not meant for me.

The way Itachi's hand possessively snaked up her spine suffocated me with mixed emotions that ran though every inch of my body. The sight of him owning her was worse than having him strangle my neck and watching me die a slow and painful death. It would have been kinder of him, actually, if he just killed me now.

But Itachi was anything but kind… and as if to prove my point…

His eyes wandered and searched though the darkness… until it found mine. My mouth fell open with apprehension. He knew I was here all along, unable to take my eyes off them, once again… loosing everything I own to him.

He stared right back at me with sarcasm written all over his damned face, his arms around Sakura tightened even more, holding onto her as if she was a precious jewel that he managed to steal away from my tight grasp.

I finally realized that the whole scene was staged for my sake, for the benefit of showing me just how ruthless he could be, that he had the ability to take everything that mattered most to me. He made Sakura shout his name, he claimed her and snatcher her away from my reach… simply because he knew I was there… that I could hear her say his name… that it would tear me to pieces.

His sharingan stared back at mine. Anger, fear, disgust, powerlessness… and everything in between flowed out from every pore of my body. The need for violence was uncontainable but although my hand craved for his blood, I knew lost what small chance I had for vengeance. I was in no condition to think clearly now, let alone fight a criminal of his level. Weakened from all the emotional torture I had undergone in such a short amount of time, all I wanted to do was to rouse myself and wake up from this awful nightmare.

If only it was that easy.

The way his eyes gleamed and the arrogant smirk on his face conveyed an unspoken message to me. 'I have taken your life away from you again. Is your anger strong enough to challenge me now? Prove to me that you are a worthy Uchiha. Show me what you are capable of, my foolish brother.'

I looked at the trembling kunai on my hand. The metal caught the moonlight on its shinny blade and reflected my red eyes on it, the eyes of an Uchiha, eyes sworn to vengeance… eyes on the verge of tears.

The knife thirsted for his blood… _I_ thirsted for his blood… but it was all that I could do.

_What am I capable of? _

I was capable of nothing.

No matter how much I trained, regardless of the abilities I acquired…I was still that worthless child standing in the old Uchiha complex, weak and constantly overshadowed by my brother, unable to protect my family and myself.

I was still lacking.

Blood rushed inside of me, adrenaline coursed though my veins and forced me into action. My heart pounded too loud to conceal anymore and instinct started to kick in. I knew he was going to use his tsukiyomi and force me to relive this dreadful experience all over again. Barely making it out alive the first time, I seriously questioned if I could survive his mind torture again. It was so much more painful this time, so much more real… because Sakura, the one person I trusted in this world, played half the part in it.

Once again, I watched helplessly as he took my family away from me.

Once again, I couldn't stop him.

And once again, I did the exact same thing I had done the night I witnessed him kill everyone I loved.

…

I ran away.

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Somehow, through all the knots and ties of the jungle, I found myself right where I started. I grabbed the doorknob of my apartment and went inside quickly, slamming the door behind me with a loud thud.

Panting heavily, I leaned on the door almost immediately and hoped that I could block the memories of the scene… that it would stay outside the walls of my home. I even wished I never left at all and witnessed Sakura's betrayal. Ignorance never appealed to me until now.

It was dark inside my living room without any source of light except a draped window where beams of moonlight escaped from. Fatigued eyes squinted against the darkness, trying to make out the bulky furniture as I tried to make my way into the place I called home… but it was not even that anymore.

Itachi stole everything I owned. Sakura was my home… the one person I looked forward to after a long gruesome mission, but now I had lost her too. She used to heal all my injuries with her caring hands but this time, she inflicted me with a wound so deep I doubted if it would ever mend. She was the one that mattered most to me, now she meant nothing.

My thigh banged against a wooden chair and my searching hands knocked over a flower vase, the sharp sound of shattered glass echoed so much louder against the eerie silence of the room. My knees hit the edge of the couch and I tipped my exhausted body into it, arms and legs splayed uncaringly against the soft mattress. Every single inch of my body ached. It even pained me to force my mind to think.

I waited patiently, my whole body shrouded in darkness, not even daring to move an inch.

I waited for her like I had done every night… even though I doubt if she would even think of coming back tonight. She had chosen Itachi. I saw it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears.

She chose him.

But still, I waited…

Because it was all that I could do.

…

The shaft of moonlight rested on the flat surface of a small wooden table located on one side of the couch. It held an antique lampshade that was given to us as a gift on our wedding day. I stretched my tired arms and placed the kunai on the table. I did not want to hold the thing any longer, it reminded me too much of the scene that I would rather forget.

My fingers traced over a delicate object just as I was about to withdraw my hand. It was a gold picture frame that held the image of the two of us together. She was sitting down demurely with her hands on her lap while I stood behind her with my hand on her shoulder. Her smile was radiant, fresh and so much alive. I on the other hand, looked as if I would rather be somewhere else. It was a charming picture, really, and I never noticed it until now. A small smile tugged at the corners of my lips… before I slammed the frame down violently, almost breaking the delicate glass.

That woman on the picture was a different Sakura. The Sakura that I know now is nothing but a whore!

An hour… maybe two… maybe less, I was not certain about anything anymore as I continued to wait behind the darkness.

My eyes darted quickly when I heard doorknob turn. The front door creak open and light from the outside peeked through the thin opening. I knew instantly that it was her.

My pulse quickened… my breath hitched and sharingan eyes narrowed into angry slits.

_Finally, she's home…_

(+evil cliffhanger+)

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A/N: Yeah, I made Sasuke look like an ass earlier on purpose. A big YAY! for me if it worked. Anyway, thanks for all the reviews, esp. those who risk detention/getting grounded just to read my fic. You know who you are! I will be rewriting Chapter 1 soon. I never realized how crappy it was until now.

**Next Chapter: A Bit too Late** – ooohhh… I smell blood… but whose blood _'evil laugh'_


	6. A Bit Too Late

**Thicker than Blood **

**Apologies:** I am terribly sorry it took me over a year (wtf!) to update, I've been busy with cosplay and sewing and I kind of gave up on writing for a long while. Anyway, thanks for all the reviews and encouragments. This is for you guys!

**Disclaimer:** The characters are not mine. I am just borrowing them and do not make any profit out of them.

**Chapter Warning:** Errr… violence?

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**Chapter 6: A Bit too Late **

**_Sasuke… _**

Her feminine outline was sketched clearly against the brighter backdrop of the outside. The doorway framed her form perfectly, a picturesque scene torn in between the light coming from behind her and the darkness that lurked inside our home. I could not see the expression on her face, but I knew that she was saddened just by the mere though of being here. The air felt heavy with unsaid words, a deep weary sigh escaped her quivering lips. Her white hand clutched at the doorknob gingerly, as if she was afraid to let go, probably contemplating if it was too late to turn back and seek Itachi out again. She paused for a long while, seemingly weighing her next step with care, before walking in and shutting the door behind her as noiselessly as possible.

She made her way though the living room, unmindful that her every move was being watched carefully from behind the darkness. Her clothes were visibly soiled, her rosette hair was an absolute mess. Did she really expect me to just turn a blind eye to all of these things? How could she just walk in here and pretend that nothing happened?

But it did happen, as much as I wanted to deny it. I could still smell the scent of Itachi on her, a stench that would never be washed away. Her fair skin was now tainted with his foul hands, not even I would dare to touch it again. Those were the same hands that killed my parents, the very same hands that killed everyone I loved. And since she chose to be touched by those hands willingly, to me, she too was as good as dead.

I stood up and turned on the lampshade, just as she was about to open the door to our bedroom. The warm yellow glow from the lamp wasted no time and flooded every dark corner of the room, covering her with an unearthly shine. She was startled by the sudden light. I saw her body tremble, her hand gripped the rattling doorknob tightly and her jaw clenched together so hard that I could almost hear her teeth grind. She turned around, ever so slowly, mindfull that I was standing directly behind her. Her eyes widened and grew moist, panic evident in her emerald orbs.

But she schooled her features and changed her look from obvious fear to absolute calmness just as quickly. She was a kunoichi after all and her teachers had trained her well. Even her jade eyes betrayed nothing now, none of the panic and distress I saw earlier. They were hollow and dreary. I felt no life in them. The vibrant green had faded into a muted color as if I was staring at a different Sakura, one who had discarded the rest of her life on a whim.

"Sasuke? Isn't it too late to be up? What were you doing?" she asked softly, shielding her eyes from the sudden light as she took a small step towards me.

What was I doing? I wanted to grab her and tell her exactly what I was doing. That I was slowly dying in misery, the vision of Itachi playing in my mind over and over again. I could see and feel everything just as vivid. I could not get them out of my head. It echoed louder and louder and tore at my gut every single time. I wanted to slap her senseless, see her body tremble in agony, make her feel the pain that I was feeling.

But instead I replied, "I was waiting for you. Where have you been?"

She paused for a long while and stared right back at me, contemplating her next words carefully.

"I was out… with someone." she finally replied, the last words barely audible against pursed lips.

"With someone…?" I repeated faintly. My chest clenched tight as if I was hit directly by a battering ram. The bitterness in those words was just too hard to swallow. It was like poison coursing though my veins, taking pleasure at killing me softly. It never crossed my mind how two simple words could be so cruel.

"Who is he?"

"It doesn't matter now. It's over. I will never see him again." she replied, a hint of regret evident in her tone.

I stepped towards her until she was within reach, both fists tightly clenched at my sides. Color left her face and she took a wise step back to lean against the door.

"It matters, Sakura. Tell me who he is."

"What good would it do? I am here. You have me."

"You think you can protect him from me?! " I hissed back. "You shouted his name shamelessly back there. Why can't you say it now!?" A loud bang made her jump as I slammed my palm agaist the door, mere inches from the side of her head. "Tell me Sakura, or I swear I will wring it out from you!"

"You... you knew!?"

"Damn well I do! You stink of him!" I seethed with every ounce of anger I could put into words. I leaned my face close to hers but she turned her head to one side and shut her eyes tight. She stood petrified for a moment until her curved lips moved in a hollow whisper.

"Itachi..."

"Damn you Sakura! How could you do this to me?" She jumped back as my fist hit the door, mere inches from her head.

"How could you do this?! And of all people, why him?"

"Don't ask me 'why', Sasuke, when you know perfectly well that I have no answer to give. Just as you cannot answer why you chose to marry me when anyone else would do." Her jade eyes sparkled with defiance.

"Don't you dare leave the blame on me, Sakura." I glared back at her. "You expected too much. You brought this on yourself."

"That's right, blame it on me. Everything is my fault, right?!" she spat back.

"You do not have any idea what I've been though. All you know is what you want to believe. You look at me but you don't see who I am. To you, I am just somebody who would carry your child. Do you even realize how insulting that is? It's killing me, knowing you can't love me just because you can't get over your stupid past."

Her tears were flowing freely now. Years worth of agony bursted out from her emerald eyes. "I gave you everything I had, loved you with all I had to give, hoping that somehow you would learn to love me back. Was it too much to ask from you?"

She wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "But I'm still here, Sasuke. I came back to you." her voice sounded so miserable that for a moment it made me forget everything else and just hold her in my arms.

Her remark tore me up inside, because I knew it was true, how selfish I had been. I tasted bile in my mouth, a sour, disgusting flavor called guilt.

But it was too late for that now. I pushed the feeling aside. I would never let her see it, never admit to her that she meant more to me than she realize. Not now. Not after this.

I stepped back and allowed myself to breathe. There was just too many thoughts, too many emotions going through my head all at once I feel like I was about to explode. I dropped my head to the floor to hide the turmoil in my eyes. It was simply too much for anyone to handle.

_But she came back too me. _ After all that had happened, she still chose me. I should be grateful for that. It was all I wanted, right? That was all I needed from her.

But it still wasn't enough.

"Sakura..." I whispered, trying to hold back the emotions that welled up inside just by mentioning her name. "Sakura... do you... still love me?"

When stiffened and the question and held her breath, she did not even have to say it. I knew the answer right away. Just as know I was going to regret asking the next question I have.

But I asked her anyway.

"Do you love him?"

She turned her face away. "Would it matter if I do?" she replied in a toneless voice "I'm still here. You have me. That's all you ever wanted from me, right?"

"Just answer me, please…" me control was wavering by the minute, but I tried to calm down my voice and asked. "Do you love Itachi?"

"Yes."

And that was it. What was left of my sanity finally snapped.

I turned my back on her and started to walk towards the nightstand "If that is your answer, then you are wrong, Sakura. I can never have you back again, not while you love him."

"Sasuke, wait…"

"Sakura… you better run." I picked up the kunai that I left lying on the table. It felt weightless beneath my fingers.

"Wh…what.. do you mean?"

I turned around to face her again "I said, you better run… and pray that he can protect you against me, because right now, I would like nothing better than to slit you heart apart. Exactly like what you did with mine."

"Sasuke.. please… I…"

Her voice trailed off as red, dangerous eyes stared right back at her. Sharingan eyes gleamed fiercely behind the darkness.

"This will be your last warning. Run, Sakura… before I change my mind and kill you right now…"

She darted past me and was gone in an instant. For a while, I could still smell her scent, sweet cherry blossoms in spring. I could see her beautiful face smiling back at me. But then, a dark cloud pushed those visions aside and all I could see was Itachi's eyes geaming with malice.

_I have taken all that you loved again, Sasuke. I win again… _

I smiled to myselfand walked towards the door. No, brother… you haven't won yet.

I gave her five full minutes… before I started to hunt down my prey.

(To Be Continued hopefully soon)

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AN: kinda short but it's better than nothing right? Arrgggghhh… no blood yet! I want BLOOD!!!


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